Extraction and Analysis of Microplastic Beads from Personal Care Products

Background Nowadays, plastic accumulation in marine has become one of the topics of global concern, with emerging research efforts focusing on the threat of microbeads (<5mm). A source of microplastic pollution is derived from personal care products (facial cleanser) that contain polyethylene microplastic (microbeads), which are not captured by the wastewater treatment plant. These small particles are especially concerning because of their potential to translocate in the bodies of organisms. Methods Herein, we have used a mixture of hydrogen peroxide with nitric acid to dissolve the organic matter before the filtration and filtration was carried out by using Whatman filter paper 42 to ascertain that all the microbeads had been collected. Collected microbeads were identified using Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and stereo microscope. Results In this study, we have observed that personal care products contain microplastic beads, and that three out of six personal care products contain a polyethylene (PE) bead. Conclusion We have provided a feasible separation and analysis method for microplastic beads in personal care products.